Destination guide: Miami, United States

Located in south-east Florida, the city of Miami is one of the most visited destinations in the United States, mainly due to its sandy beaches and warm water, which make it ideal for vacations.

Plan your trip to Miami and visit Collins Avenue with its restaurants, shops and hotels, skate down South Beach, discover the beauty of Coral Gables and Bal Harbor and marvel at the city’s Art Deco architecture. Don’t put it off any longer and take advantage of our flight promotions to Miami.

Miami- Transportation

Bicycle

Introduction

Miami may be flat as a pancake, but it’s also plagued by traffic backups and speedy thoroughfares, so judge the bike-ability of your desired route carefully. It’s a perfectly sensible option in South Beach, though, as well as through most Miami Beach ’hoods and, of course, on Key Biscayne. Use a sturdy U-type bike lock, as mere chains and padlocks do not deter people in these parts. Bicycles are allowed only on specific Metrorail and Tri-Rail routes; you can also bike across the causeways.

Rental

There are several places in South Beach and on Key Biscayne to rent bicycles for a fee of about $20 a day.

Bus

Greyhound ([tel] 800-231-2222; www.greyhound.com) is the major carrier in and out of town. There are four major terminals: Airport terminal ([tel] 305-871-1810; 4111 NW 27th St); Main Downtown terminal ([tel] 305-374-6160; 1012 NW 1st Ave); North Miami terminal ([tel] 305-945-0801; 16560 NE 6th Ave); and the Southern Miami terminal ([tel] 305-296-9072; Cutler Ridge Mall, 20,505 S Dixie Hwy). There are several buses daily to New York City ($115 one-way, 27 to 30 hours) and Washington, DC ($109, 23 to 25 hours); five to New Orleans ($95, 20 to 22 hours); and 10 daily to Atlanta ($95, 16 to 18 hours).

The local bus system is called Metrobus ([tel] 305-770-3131; www.miamidade.gov/transit) and, though it has an extensive route system, know that you may very well spend more time waiting for a bus than you will riding on one. Each bus route has a different schedule and routes generally run from about 5:30am to about 11pm, though some are 24 hours. Rides cost $1.25 and must be paid in exact change with a token, coins or a combination of a dollar bill and coins (most locals use the monthly Metropass). An easy-to-read route map is available online.

In South Beach, an excellent option is the South Beach Local Circulator ([tel] 305-770-3131), a looping shuttle bus with disabled-rider access that operates along Washington between South Pointe Dr and 17th St and loops back around on Alton Rd on the west side of the beach. Rides cost only 25¢ and come along every 10 to 15 minutes between 7:45am and 1am Monday to Saturday and 10am to 1am Sunday and holidays. Look for official bus stops, every couple of blocks, marked by posts with colorful Electrowave signs.

Coral Gables has its own new shuttle in the form of a hybrid-electric bus disguised as a Trolley. It’s free, but good for getting around Gables only (also, you often have to put up with some cutesy barbershop quartet). Its north–south route runs along Ponce de León Blvd from the Douglas Metrorail Station to SW 8th St (between 6:30am and 8pm Monday to Thursday, and 6:30am and 11pm Friday), while the east–west twilight route runs along Miracle Mile from Anderson Rd to Douglas Rd (between 3pm and 7pm Monday to Thursday, and 3pm and 10pm Friday). Trolleys run about every 10 to 15 minutes.